Timber, Raised Grain, Regal, Rustic, Woodland, et cetera, et cetera. Sometimes the choices are overwhelming. Where do you start? How can you home in on just the styles that suit your project?

Fortunately, if you know something about what you’re looking for, you don’t have to wade through page after page of descriptions and specs for each and every beam style. You can let the Beam Selector do the work for you.

Say your project design calls for one or more beams with an exposed end. The end doesn’t butt against a wall or against another beam, but hangs in the middle of somewhere exposed to view. Obviously you need to know which beam styles are available with a cap to close that exposed end.

2. Let your eye scan down to item 8, Available with closed ends, and choose Yes.

3. Click Search for Beams, and behold the results.

In 10 seconds you’ve narrowed your choices to Timber, Woodland, Sandblasted and Chalet. Not only that, but at a glance you can see essential specs for each style: shipping time, largest dimensions, number of sizes, number of sides, endcap availability (of course) and suitability for truss construction. Click any style to see the full details.

I always believe in letting the computer do as much of the grunt work as possible, so I can do the brain stuff.